Feather mites are microscopic arthropods that inhabit the plumage and skin of birds, occupying specific microhabitats on their hosts. These mites exhibit extraordinary morphological diversity and host ...

Feather mites help to remove bacteria and fungi from the feathers of birds, according to a new study by University of Alberta biologists. In fact, the relationship between these mites and their hosts ...

The majority of Californian Anna's Hummingbirds appear to have P. huitzilopochtlii feather mites on their tail flight feathers, according to a study published February 14, 2018 in the open-access ...

Lillian DeDomenic of Monroeville was snapping photos of birds in her backyard when one in particular caught her eye. At first, she wasn’t sure what it was. It had red body plumage, but its head was a ...

Populations of a host species may exhibit different assemblages of parasites and other symbionts. The loss of certain species of symbionts (lineage sorting, or "missing-the-boat") is a mechanism by ...

Q Lately I've seen a mangy-looking female cardinal at my Roseville feeder. She's missing neck feathers and has a scraggly crest. She's sometimes accompanied by a male without any feathers on its head.